52-year-old French Cyclist Longo-Ciprelli Hints at Retirement

News & Results

52-year-old French Cyclist Longo-Ciprelli Hints at Retirement

Former Olympic and world champion Jeannie Longo-Ciprelli is struggling to find the motivation to keep cycling.

Former Olympic and world champion Jeannie Longo-Ciprelli is struggling to find the motivation to keep cycling.

The 52-year-old French veteran told Le Parisien newspaper on Wednesday that she is "a bit tired psychologically" and is not sure she will compete in 2011.

Asked about her potential retirement, Longo-Ciprelli said she is less afraid by that possibility than she was last year.

"I can see other horizons," she said. "I can now accept things that seemed inconceivable to me, like for example skipping one day of training."

Longo-Ciprelli added she is not thinking about racing at next year's London Olympics.

"I don't have this in mind, absolutely not," Longo-Ciprelli said. "At the moment, I'm looking for a motivation to maybe compete in 2011. The season starts only in a few months, but at my age, a few months is a lot of time."

Longo-Ciprelli first competed in the Olympics in 1984 in Los Angeles and won the gold medal in the road race at the 1996 Atlanta Games. She has nine road world championship gold medals and also claimed four titles at the world track championships.

Longo-Ciprelli, who has been French champion 57 times, was inducted into the elite Legion d'honneur honor society earlier this month.